| 1. Do your homework and check the internet and the different
stores. |
| 2. Check out the different models. Does it feel right for
you? |
| 3. Review what each can and can not do. |
| 4. Will it work for you if you are left handed? |
| 5. Do you want a used or new camera? |
| 6. Can you afford it? |
| 7. How long of a guarantee does it have and what will
it cover or not cover? |
| 8. What kinds of lenses, filters, flash cards and flashes
are available? |
|
9. How often do you realistically plan to use the camera? |
|
10. If you are not planning to make a living from your desire
for camera do you really want to get a unit that has features you will
never use and at a price you really cannot afford. |
|
Decision Time: |
|
1. Do comparison shopping! |
|
2. Talk to the salesperson and get them to explain the main
functions of the camera. This is something this is difficult online. |
|
3. Ask specific questions about the camera. If you don't like
the answers move on to another store. |
|
4. Take a photography class. Many wantabe photographers become
frustrated and stop shooting because they don't know the basics of the
art. |
|
5. Read the directions that come with the camera and also look
up tips on the internet such as The Classroom. |
|
Read more: Buying Guide |
|
General Tips |
What do you plan to do with
the camera?
Snap Shots-inexpensive one time
Point and Shoots or Smart
Phones
Creative, imaginative
pictures-SLRcamera with a
minimum of 6 megapixs. |
Where do you plan to take
the picture?
General areas where lighting is
good-Point and Shoot or
Smart Phone
Specific areas with soft
lighting-6+ megapix SLR
camera. |
How much time do
you want to spend setting up your picture?
Quick shots with no
thoughts-inexpensive Point and Shoot or
Smart Phone.
Artistic, mind-blowing
pictures- 6+ megapixs. SLR camera. |
What
kind of subjects do you plan to
shoot?
General snapshots-Point and
Shoot or Smart Phone.
Portraits, scenic, action or
night pictures-6+
megapixs. SLR camera
|
How much money do you want to spend?
You
get what you pay for in cameras!
Do research and get reviews! |
|
Bells and
Whistles |
|
Symbols
and Icons |
|
Digital
cameras have symbols that help you chose
what you want to do with the image check out
our
chart to see what they mean. |
|
Megapixels |
|
A megapixel
equals 1,000,000 pixels. This term is used
to describe the image capacity of the
camera. The higher the megapixel the larger
and sharper the image. Read more at
Wikipedia
and
Camera About.com |
|
Noise |
|
The graininess of a picture caused
by too little light or too high an ISO
setting read more at:
Photoxels |
|
|
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) |
|
The measure of light sensitivity in creating an image Read more
at:
Re: iso in digital camera's |
|
Digital Zoom Lenses |
|
A built in device that makes the image appear closer by taking
away part of the the mage and enlarging it. I don't recommend you using
this feature because it removes vital parts of an image. Read more at
Types of Digital Lenses |
|
Flash Card, CF Card Memory Card |
|
These handy cards replaces films in a digital camera. They come
in a variety of sizes and capacities. The larger the number the higher
the capacity. Remember to buy a type that matches your camera. Smart
Phones have no cards. Read more at
Memory Cards. |
|
File Formats |
|
These are the forms images are stored in your Cards and
Computer. The four most used are RAW, TIFF, JPEG and GIFF. Each of the
different formats determine the amount of information that is contained
in the image. They range from RAW with the most information to GIF with
the least. RAW allows you to make very large pictures while GIFF and
JPEG are great for Emails, Websites, and Texts. My choice is JPEG. Read
more at Graphic File Formats,
Image File Formats,
Wikipedia and
Digital
Image File Types |
|
Battery |
|
The battery is the life blood of the digital camera.
Unfortunately it is a power hog, so making the right choice in the
purchase is very important. Nothing is more frustrating than to have
your battery run out in the middle of a shoot. |
|
1. Buy only the type of
battery that fits your camera. |
|
|
2. Buy nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)
batteries. |
|
3. Buy rechargeable batteries (this
will save you a great deal of money) |
|
4. Buy more than one battery. |
|
5. Buy and use a portable recharger. |
|
6. The battery icon on your camera
is the best power indicator keep an eye on
its levels. |
|
7. Insert the battery correctly as
shown in the manual. |
|
8. Limit shooting in freezing
weather (cold will drain it quickly) |
|
8. Turn off the monitor to save
energy. |
|
9. Use an AC adapter. |
|
10. Use a small resolution to save
energy, |
|
11. Shut down the camera for a short
time if the indicator is flashing or replace
the battery |
|
Lighting |
|
Lighting can play a crucial roll in
making a great picture instead of a
snapshot. Understanding the direction the
light is coming from, the amount of light
available and the softness as well as the
harshness of the light can determine the
quality of your work. Hot spots can happen
if you take pictures in an area under a
tree. People will squint if the light is in
their eyes. Flare will happen if you point
eh camera in the wrong direction. So take
into account the light around you, in front
and behind you. decide what effects
you want before hitting the shutter release.
Wait if the light is not what you want and
adjust your setting appropriately. |
|
Picture
Problems |
|
Every what is a flare? or have you notice the feared "redeyes"on
a precious image? Answers can by found at
Questions and Answers. |
|
Trade
Secrets |
|
1. Never shoot facing the sun. |
|
2. Avoid shooting subjects with the
sun in their face (causes
squinting). |
|
3. Avoid shooting picture with a
mirror or glass as a backdrop
(causes a spot of light on the
image). |
|
4. Check the picture completely before pressing
the shutter release. Careful scan the image from one
side of the viewfinder to the other. Make sure
everything is the way you want it. |
|
5. Avoid taking a picture were something is
bright red. The viewer will see the red and miss the
rest of your picture. |
|
6. Shoot before 11am and after 1pm. Those are the
best times for shadows without glare. |
|
7. Check what is behind the subject to
avoid poles, branches and other objects you don't
want in your image. |
|
8. Avoid putting the main subject in the center of the image this is
called bulls eyeing, have them slightly off center. |
|
9. Be patient! Many a great picture took time to create. |
|
10 In shooting with low light, use a tripod and set your exposure
controls accordingly. This will avoid soft and or images that are out of focus. |
|
11. Besure you have plenty of CF Cards. Running of of them can be a
bummer. |
|
12. Besure you check and change your batteries regularly. Leaving a
battery in a camera for a long period of time can cause real damage. |
|
13. At first keep a running record of your images and compare the
results with your records. thus you know what you did wrong and you can delete
your bad images. |
|
14. Talk to professionals and advanced amateurs that can be a valuable
source of information. |
|
15. Take a photography class. |
|
16. Read the manual, not all cameras, flashes and lenses are alike.
Controls and capabilities can very from one to another. Furthermore practice
with the cameral before you shoot those images. |
|
17. The best way to learn how to take pictures by by taking pictures and
learning from your mistakes. |
|
Created by
Inspired Art Sandy Arroyo
Photographic Artist
Thanks for the
help of Berrie Smith of Berrie Smith
Photography |
|
Some graphics reproduced using Print Shop Deluxe, Broderbund
Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved used by permission.
The Classroom does not claim
all descriptions of sites to be their own words.
The Classroom makes no promises or representations about the gadgets on
this site as to quality. content or performance |
